Reform UK Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, Luke Campbell, has revealed he would consider coming out of retirement for a mega-fight with boxing star Conor Benn.
Luke Campbell, the Reform UK Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, has revealed he is open to returning to the squared circle for a mega-fight with boxing star Conor Benn. Mayor Campbell made the surprise suggestion during an appearance on talkSPORT’s Fight Night broadcast.
He told listeners that an offer to fight one of the biggest stars in world boxing might be too good to turn down. Although the return is considered more of an idea than a concrete plan for the politician, it is an intriguing prospect for both local democracy and fans of boxing.
Mayor Campbell is regarded as one of the greatest amateur boxers in English and British history, with his crowning moment coming with a bantamweight gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games. He then went on to have an extraordinary professional career, winning 20 fights with sixteen knock-outs.
His only defeats came from the very best talents in boxing, including being knocked-out by Ryan Garcia in a huge fight in Dallas, Texas. Earlier this month Ryan Garcia beat Conor Benn in one of 2026’s most watched fights in Las Vegas.
Discussing this month’s fight, Mayor Campbell – who was known as ‘Cool Hand’ during his career – revealed a fight with Conor Benn – known as ‘The Destroyer’ – would be of interest if an offer presented itself.
He said:
“You know there is always that one fight that would spark you to come back.”
“Look if there is ever any interest in there, I’d certainly sit down and consider that option… I didn’t retire when I was on the slide, I could have carried on for years longer. So yeah I’d be open to it if the interest was real from his side.”
Mayor Campbell has often spoken about how physical fitness and some boxing training helps keep him fit and focused. He told talkSPORT:
“I love boxing and I still train, it helps me in this role as Mayor.”
One Facebook user welcomed the potential comeback and posted:
“Luke Campbell would win with his technical speed, reach and experience. He has fought well against real world class opponents. Benn would struggle.”
Mayor Campbell took to Instagram earlier this year to share his ongoing passion for boxing:
“There’s nothing quite like being in the gym, the discipline, focus, and hard work. Boxing has always played a big part in my life, but it’s about more than sport. It’s about mindset, structure, and looking after your physical and mental health.”
In the post he linked the importance of sport to building confidence, reducing stress and bringing people together and made clear his passion for getting the people of Hull and East Yorkshire more active. The post stated:
“That’s why I’ll always support initiatives that get people moving, making sure more people have access to ways to improve their health and wellbeing.”
To commemorate his Olympic gold medal win, a first class postage stamp depicting Luke was issued by the Royal Mail and a post box on Hessle Road in Hull was painted gold. Kingston Communications also commemorated the win by painting a telephone box gold near to St Paul’s Amateur Boxing Club in the city centre, where Luke trained as an amateur.
His first professional fight took place in 2013 at Craven Park in Hull, winning the fight in round one. Mayor Campbell was awarded an MBE in the 2013 New Year Honours List, for services to boxing. He was elected as the first mayor for Hull and East Yorkshire in a May 2025 election – receiving 48,491 votes, ahead of Liberal Democrat Mike Ross, who came second with 37,510 votes.
The boxing industry thrives on rumours, with Conor Benn also thought to be considering a third fight with Chris Eubank Jr. A fight with either Eubank Jr or Mayor Campbell would be huge box office, wherever they take place.
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